Hey Eric -
Welcome to the board, and congratulations on an awesome bass - I have a walnut exploiter, similar vintage, a little more wear and tear, but I love playing it. The balance is phenomenal, and it does look great.
You should keep an eye out for future Dallas Alembic gatherings - we've had 3 in the past 12 months, and it is a great group of guys. Collectively we own about 15 Alembics, with others dropping in from New Orleans, Oklahoma, and Arkansas (and Germany) for the gatherings.
Hope to see you soon in Dallas.
John